25 Years Ago - December 8, 1978.

MORE than 90,000 visitors invaded the village of Near Sawrey last year to see Beatrix Potter's cottage at Hill Top.

But although they spent thousands of pounds on entrance money, teas and souvenirs, many visitors found problems when it came to the basic need to spend a penny.

There are no public toilets in Sawrey the nearest are an agonising 2miles away in Hawkshead and the only toilet facilities for visitors at Hill Top are at the Tower Bank Arms pub next door.

No wonder villagers are angry at the effect this is having, Dennis Lambert, manager of the Sawrey House Hotel, told the Gazette: "Everybody in the village is fed up with people knocking on their door to go to the toilet." He claimed that in the summer as many as 70 people per day would come into his hotel to use the toilet. Many visitors, it is claimed, are even being forced to use the same toilet facilities as Peter Rabbit, Squirrel Nutkin and company the bushes, trees, paths and gardens of Sawrey.

50 Years Ago - December 5, 1953.

JUST home from a three months' holiday in North America are Mr and Mrs W. Halliwell, 20 Underley Hill, Kendal, who went out to visit their daughter Jean now Mrs Alvah Burdette Brown, Orange, New Jersey. Jean was married eight years ago in Kendal Parish Church, when her husband was in the American Air Force, stationed in this country.

One of the exciting incidents of the tour was when Mrs Halliwell flew the 60 miles from Newark, New Jersey, to Toronto in a snowstorm to visit her brother, Harold Chambers, whom she had not seen for 31 years. While there she called on Arthur Whitwell, brother of Coun E.W. Whitwell, who was formerly a secretary of Westmorland Agricultural Show.

Summing up the trip Mr and Mrs Halliwell said they had a "wonderful time."

100 Years Ago - December 5, 1903.

THE little experiment in co-operative egg-dealing which has been in progress in the Milnthorpe district during the last three years is still reported to be doing well. At the annual meeting of the local organisation it was shown that the producers had sent nearly 125,000 eggs to market in the course of the year, and received as net value close on 460, collection and carriage having cost 60. If the whole country could be covered with similar organisations better prices would be obtained for two reasons: the railway companies would be compelled to grant lower freight charges, and there would be less competition between one district and another. At the present time eggs produced in Devonshire and Cornwall are sent into the northern counties to the detriment of northern egg producers. This, however, is mainly due to the fact that in the south and west of England the poultry industry is more thoroughly organised than it is in the north. In business as in politics, the lesson of the time is "organise", and it is emphasised by the measure of success obtained at Milnthorpe.

150 Years Ago - December 3, 1853.

TO MAIDENS on the look-out for mates. If a man wipes his feet on the door mat before coming into the room, you may be sure he will make a good domestic husband. If a man in snuffing the candles, snuffs them out you may be sure he will make a stupid husband. If a man puts his handkerchief on his knees whilst taking his tea, you may be sure he will be a prudent husband. In the same way, always mistrust the man who will not take the last piece of toast or Sally Lunn, but prefers waiting for the next batch. It is not unlikely he will make a greedy, selfish husband, with whom you will enjoy no brown at dinner, no crust at tea, no peace whatever in the home. The man, my dears, who wears galoshes and is careful about wrapping himself up well before venturing into the night air, not infrequently makes a good invalid husband that mostly stops at home, and is easily comforted with slops. The man who doesn't take tea, ill-treats the cat, takes snuff and stands with his back to the fire, is a brute whom I would not advise you to marry on any consideration.

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